The next step on the road to Wembley has been laid down. Here are the results for the Champions League round of Sixteen Champions League draw.
Round of 16 Champions League Draw
FC Porto vs Arsenal
Napoli vs FC Barcelona
Paris Saint-Germain vs Real Sociedad
Internazionale vs Atletico Madrid
PSV Eindhoven vs Borussia Dortmund
Lazio vs Bayern Munich
FC Copenhagen vs Manchester City
RB Leipzig vs Real Madrid
First-leg ties will take place on February 13th, 14th, 20th and 21st, with the return legs being held on the 5th, 6th, 12th and 13th of March.
Analysis
As is often the case with a round of sixteen matchups, the ties are a mixture of fairly predictable outcomes and interesting, closely fought encounters.
Porto vs Arsenal
Porto continues their affinity with the Champions League knockout stages by squeaking through on the final match day with a 5-3 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk. However, the Portuguese giants will likely struggle against an Arsenal side that is buoyed by their long-awaited return to Europe’s elite and form that currently has them in first place in the Premier League. Though Porto is never to be snuffed at (just as 2020/21 Juventus), the Gunners should be too strong for them, especially at the Emirates Stadium.
Napoli vs Barcelona
Barcelona and Napoli are a more even battle. Though both sides were crowned league champions in their respective countries last season, they are also both struggling to replicate that success this time out. Without Luciano Spalletti, Napoli will find it difficult to reach that anytime soon, though Xavi will understand better than most how important bringing back Champions League success to the Nou Camp is in his journey to bring the Catalans back to the top of the European tree. That alone could overpower a weakened Napoli.
Paris Saint-Germain vs Real Sociedad
Paris Saint-Germain have often disappointed in the Champions League. They have only reached the final once in the COVID-impacted 2019/20 season before losing to Bayern Munich. They have also struggled in this year’s competition already, sealing second place on the final match day in a group they were largely expected to top. Their struggles could be compounded come March if Real Sociedad show their best. Though the White and Blues are sixth in La Liga at the time of writing, their raft of talent and their passionate coach could be the ideal ingredients for an upset.
Inter vs Atletico Madrid
Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid are perhaps one of the most tightly contested ties of the draw. Inter are currently top of Serie A and have been able to continue the form that saw them reach and be narrowly defeated in the final last year.
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Meanwhile, Diego Simeone’s forward-thinking evolution of Atletico has seen them top their group without defeat and with seventeen goals scored. With Inter also free-flowing their way to thirty-nine goals in the Serie A already, it looks to be one of the most entertaining ties on offer.
PSV Eindhoven vs Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund surprised supporters and pundits alike with the ease with which they qualified for the knockout stages. In a group with PSG, AC Milan and Newcastle, the Black and Yellows reached the round of sixteen with a game to spare. Their domestic league form has been very patchy, unlike PSV Eindhoven, who top the Eredivisie with sixteen wins from sixteen matches so far. It is another match that is close to call though their form in the group stage and individual quality may just push Dortmund ahead as favourites.
Lazio vs Bayern Munich
Both Lazio and Bayern Munich have underperformed so far this season, though both to differing extents. Despite Harry Kane’s record-breaking form, Bayern are four points off Bayer Leverkusen in first place in the Bundesliga, but they did top their group with ease. Lazio on the other hand was 11th in Serie A and made it out as runners-up in one of this season’s weaker groups that included Feyenoord and Celtic alongside Atletico Madrid. This tie should be a pretty straightforward win for Bayern Munich.
Copenhagen vs Manchester City
With full respect to FC Copenhagen and their amazing achievement of reaching the knockout stages over Manchester United and Galatasaray, it would be one of the shocks of the competition if Manchester City don’t make it to the quarter-finals. Though they haven’t yet reached the form that saw them win the treble last season, Pep Guardiola’s men don’t typically overcomplicate themselves in draws against lesser opponents.
RB Leipzig vs Real Madrid
Finally, the always good value RB Leipzig take on fifteen-time Champions League winners Real Madrid. Six wins from six in their group and currently top of La Liga, Los Blancos have come roaring back from a slight dip last year, helped by the star-turning form of Jude Bellingham.
Leipzig has routinely proved to be awkward opposition for the top sides, but I wouldn’t be someone to bet against Real Madrid and Carlo Ancelotti in a Champions League knockout game.
Who do you think will make it through the Round of 16 Champions League draw?
And who do you think can go all the way to the final?
